Carton having non-rectangular cross section



Jan. 2, 1968 J. H. FOX 3,361,329

CARTON HAVING NON-RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION Filed July 29, 1966 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 fi/ezzz oz' 7 Z 9 James H f ox 6 3 JJWM Jan. 2, 1968 J. FOX

CARTON HAVING NON-RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 29, 1966 V fiz/enz or James H1294, WMW

United States Patent f 3,361,329 CARTON HAVING NON-RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION James H. Fox, Castleton-ou-Hudson, N.Y., assignor to Brown Company, Kalamazoo, Mich., a corporation of Delaware Filed July 29, 1966, Ser. No. 568,949 10 Claims. (Cl. 22938) The present invention relates to cartons formed from an integral blank having a non-rectangular cross section when completely erected, and is more particularly concerned with a carton of the type described which may be partially assembled and shipped in the form of a flat folded tube, and which may be subsequently completely erected to form a closed carton having excellent structural strength.

Cartons in which all the panels are rectangular are known in the art. Such cartons may be partially erected in the form of a flat folded tube and stored and shipped in this condition to conserve space. Since all panels are rectangular, the carton may be subsequently completely erected to form a closed carton.

For certain purposes cartons are sometimes utilized which are non-rectangular in at least one plane. Among such cartons are those having a pair of parallel trapezoidal panels and having a top panel and a bottom panel of different sizes. Such cartons may be readily formed from integral blanks and assembled to form closed cartons. However, in order to permit such cartons to be only partially preassembled and formed into a folded fiat sleeve, it has been common practice to provide a score in one of the large panels to permit the panel to fold into two portions. Such structures have the disadvantage that, when the carton is subsequently completely erected, the panel provided with the folding score is not sufiiciently rigid and tends to buckle outwardly at the score line.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a carton which in the completely erected and closed form is non-rectangular in at least one cross section. It is a further object to provide a carton of the type described which may be partially erected and folded into a flat sleeve for storing and shipping. It is still an additional object to provide such a carton which, when completely erected, is rigid and strong. The accomplishment of the foregoing and additional objects will become more fully apparent hereinafter.

The invention in its preferred embodiment is illustrated by the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of an integral blank cut and scored for preparing a carton according to the invention.

FIG. 2 is an end view showing the carton in folded sleeve form.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the erected and sealed carton.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary cross-sectional view taken at the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a plan view of an integral blank cut and scored for forming a carton according to an alternative embodiment.

FIG. 6 is an end view of the carton folded fiat in the form of a sleeve.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the erected and sealed carton; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary crosssectional view taken at the line 88 of FIG. 7.

According to the invention a carton is provided having a non-rectangular cross section wherein the smaller of the two parallel face panels is comprised of two panel members. One of the panel members has an infolded margin, ordinarily in the form of an adhesive strip, and the 3,36l,329 Patented Jan. 2, 1968 edge of the other panel member is adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the folded over margin. The lengths of the panel members are so provided that the panel members may be in-folded to provide a flat folded carton which may occupy relatively little space, and which may be readily stored or transported in this flat-folded form. When the carton is erected, the in-folded margin of the one panel and the edge of the other panel member engage the inner surface of the first panel member, thereby supporting the structure and preventing the panel from being folded outwardly.

Reference is now made to the accompanying drawings for a better understanding of the invention, wherein all the parts are numbered and wherein the same numbers are used to refer to the same parts throughout.

Referring to FIGS. l-4, a carton is shown comprising a top or major face panel 1, side panels 2 and 3, and bottom or minor face panel members 4 and 5. An adhesive flap 6 is hingedly connected to the bottom panel member 4. The side panel 2 is provided with end flaps 7 and 8 and the side panel 3 is provided with end flaps 9 and 10. The top panel is provided with end flaps 11 and 12 having adhesive flaps 13 and 14, respectively, hingedly, connected thereto. An adhesive is applied to a strip area 15 of the bottom panel member 5.

In erecting the carton, the bottom panel member 5 and side panel 3 are first folded over at the score line 16, the adhesive at the area '15 remaining exposed at the outer surface of the bottom panel member. The bottom panel member 4- is then folded over at the score line 17, and then the side panel 2 is folded over at the score line 18. The outer surface of the adhesive flap 6 then becomes adhesively afi'ixed at the adhesive area 15 of the outer surface of the bottom panel member 5. The carton blank thus assumes the form of a folded sleeve, and may be readily stored or transported in this state. The glued and folded blank is shown in FIG. 2.

To complete the erection of the carton, the fold at the score line 17 is grasped and the side panels 2 and 3 extended until the inner surface of the adhesive flap 6 is completely folded and its inner surface isin engagement with the inner surface of the bottom panel member 4. The end flaps 7 and 9 may then be infolded, the end flap 11 folded thereover, and the insertion flap 13 inserted between the edge of the bottom and the edges of the tuck flaps, thereby closing one end of the carton. The carton may then be filled and the other end closed in similar manner.

When the carton is completely erected, the inner surface of the adhesive flap 6 is in engagement with the inner surface of the bottom member 4. This relationship, together with any extending portion 19 of the bottom panel member 5, stiifens and supports the bottom panel 20 and prevents it from buckling outwardly at the score line at which the adhesive strip is connected.

As can be seen in the drawings, because the bottom panel 29 has a smaller width than that of the top panel 1, the cross-section of the carton through one plane is a trapezoid. In prior cartons, it has been difficult to provide a carton of this type which can be folded into a flat sleeve for transporting, and yet which, when completely assembled, does not buckle at a fold in the bottom panel. In order to achieve the present relationship, the carton is so designed that the outer surfaces of the adhesive flap 6 and the bottom panel member 5 can be glued together with the edges of the panels facing in the same direction. Moreover, in order that the carton may be folded flat, the sum of the widths of the bottom panel member 5 and the side panel 3 must be no greater than the width of the top panel 1. Such a relationship permits the carton to be folded without buckling.

FIGS. -8 illustrate a modified embodiment of the invention. This embodiment is provided with end flaps which may be folded and glued together to provide a sealed carton. The carton comprises a top or major face panel 21, side panels 22 and 23, and bottom or minor face panel members 24 and 25. The top panel is provided with outer end walls 26 and 27, the side panels 22 and 23 are provided with tuck flaps 28, 29, 3t and 31, respectively, the bottom panel member 24 is provided with inner end wall members 32 and 33, and the bottom panel member 25 is provided with inner end wall members 34 and 35. The bottom panel member 24 is provided at its edge with an adhesive flap 36 hingedly connected thereto. The adhesive flap 36 has adhesive flap segments 37 and 38 hingedly connected at its ends. The adhesive flap segments 37 and 38 are also hingedly connected to the inner end wall members 32 and 33, respectively. The carton of FIGS. 5-8 may be partially assembled into the form of a flat tube by first folding the bottom panel member 25 and side panel 23 at the score line 39. The bottom panel member 24 is then folded over at the score line 40. The bottom panel member 24 and side panel 22 are then folded over together at the score line 41. If an adhesive has not already been pre-applied, it may be applied either to the outer surface of the adhesive strip 36 and extensions 37 and 38 or, alternatively, near the edge of the outer surface of the bottom panel member 25, and inner end wall members 34 and 35. In this position the adhesive strip 36 and segments 37 and 38 become adhesively affixed to the outer surface near the edge of the bottom panel member 25 and inner end wall members 34 and 35, respectively. Since in this fiat form the carton occupies very little space, it may be thus stored or shipped, as shown in FIG. 6.

The carton may be further erected, filled, and sealed by grasping the corner of the carton at the score line 40 and pulling outwardly, until the bottom panel members 24 and 25 are substantially coplanar. The tuck flaps 28, 29, and 31 may then be infolded, and the inner end walls formed from the inner end wall members 32 and 34, and 33 and 35, respectively, in-folded over the tuck flaps. The outer end wall 26 is then adhesively affixed to the inner end wall comprised of the inner end wall members 32 and 34. The carton may then be filled. The open end is closed in the same manner by folding in the tuck flaps 29 and 31, the inner end wall comprised of the inner end wall members 33 and 35, and finally folding and adhesively aflixing the outer end wall 27 to the inner end wall. The finally sealed carton is shown in FIG. 7. As shown, because the bottom panel 42 comprised of the bottom panel members 24 and 25 is narrower than the top panel 21, the carton is in the form of a trapezoid. Because of the structure of the erected carton, the score line at which the bottom panel is folded for storing in the form shown in FIG. 6 is reinforced by the presence of the structure comprising the adhesive strip 36 adhesively affixed to the edge of the bottom panel member 25, shown in FIG. 8, and the bottom member remains rigid and does not buckle outward at the score line 43. As in the case of the embodiment first described, the relationship of the panels in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 5-8 must be such that the sum of the widths of the bottom panel member 25 and the side panel 23 must be no greater than the width of the top panel, in order that the carton may be properly folded. Moreover, the sum of the widths of the bottom member 24 and the adhesive strip 36 must be no greater than the width of the side panel 22.

The carton of the present inventionhas a number of advantages over cartons of the prior art which have a non-rectangular, as for example trapezoidal, cross section. First, the arrangement of the panels is so designed that the carton may be glued and folded into a flat open-ended sleeve. As can be readily seen, this is not simple to do in the case of cartons which have a pair of opposite parallel face panels of unequal size. Moreover, the structure whereby the outer surface of the adhesive panel is adhered to the edge of the outer surface of the bottom panel member, with their edges similarly directed, provides a bottom panel which may be folded at a score line inwardly, but which may not be folded outwardly beyond a substantially coplanar relationship. Moreover, the carton is simple and inexpensive to produce and may be readily erected on automatic machinery.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with regard to cartons having a trapezoidal cross section, it may be incorporated in cartons having other non-rectangular cross sections, such as triangular.

It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction, operation, or exact materials or embodiments shown and described, as obvious modifications and equivalents will be apparent to one skilled in the art, and the invention is therefore to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A carton having a non-rectangular cross section formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide wall panels and end panels forming an enclosure, one of said wall panels comprising first and second wall panel members, said first wall panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and being folded over with the inner surface of said adhesive strip being in engagement with the inner surface of said first Wall panel member, and the other surface of said adhesive strip being adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the second wall panel member, the structure being such that said wall panel is prevented from folding outwardly at said score line. 7

2. A carton according to claim 1 having a trapezoidal cross section formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a major face panel, side panels hingedly connected to the edges of and disposed at an acute angle with respect to said major face panel, a minor face panel having a smaller width than said major face panel, and end flaps including trapezoidal end panels, said minor face panel comprising a pair of panel members, including a first panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and being folded over with the inner surface of said adhesive panel being in engagement with the inner surface of said panel member, and

the outer surface of said adhesive strip being adhesively afiixed to the outer surface of the second of said panel members, the structure being so arranged as to permit said minor face panel to fold inwardly at said score line before said end flaps are closed in order to enable said carton to be folded into the form of a flat sleeve, but to prevent said minor face panel from folding outwardly at said score line when said carton is completely erected.

3. A carton according to claim 2 wherein the sum of the widths of said second panel member and the side panel hingedly connected thereto is no greater than the width of said major face panel, and wherein the sum of the widths of said first panel member and said adhesive strip is no greater than the width of the side panel hingedly connected to said first panel member.

4. A carton according to claim 2 wherein said trapezoidal end panels include an outer end panel having an insertion flap hingedly connected to the edge thereof inserted at the end of said carton thereby retaining said outer end panel in closed position.

5. A carton according to claim 2 wherein said trapezoidal end panels comprise an inner end panel and an outer end panel adhesively affxed thereto.

6. A partially erected carton adapted to form a carton according to claim 1, in the form of a flat folded sleeve which may be further erected to form a carton having a non-rectangular cross section, said carton being formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide wall panels and end panels forming an enclosure, one of said wall panels comprising a pair of wall panel members, a first wall panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and being adapted to be folded over with the inner surface of said adhesive strip being in engagement with the inner surface of said panel member, and the outer surface of said adhesive strip being adhesively afiixed to the outer surface of the second of said wall panel members whereby, when said carton is further erected, the inner surface of said adhesive strip engages the inner surface of the first of said wall panel members and prevents said wall panel from folding outwardly at said score line.

7. A partially erected carton adapted to form a carton according to claim 1, in the form of a flat-folded sleeve which may be further erected to form a carton having a trapezoidal cross section, said carton being formed of an integral blank cut and scored to provide a major face panel, side panels hingedly connected to the edge of and disposed at an acute angle with respect to said major face panel, a minor face panel having a smaller Width than said major face panel, and end flaps including trapezoidal end panels, said minor face panel comprising a pair of panel members, including a first panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and being adapted to be folded over with the inner surface of said adhesive strip being in engagement with the inner surface of said panel member, and the outer surface of said adhesive strip being adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the second of said panel members, said minor face panel being folded inwardly at said score line in order to enable said carton to be folded into said flat sleeve, and whereby said minor face panel is prevented from folding outwardly at said score line when said carton is completely erected.

8. An integral blank for forming a carton having a non-linear cross section cut and scored to provide wall panels and end panels adapted to form an enclosure, one of said Wall panels adapted to form first and second waH panel members, the first wall panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and being adapted to be folded over with the inner surface of said adhesive strip in engagement with the inner surface of said wall panel member, and the other surface of said adhesive strip being adapted to be adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the second wall panel member, the structure being so arranged when said adhesive strip is affixed to said second wall panel member as to permit said panel to fold inwardly at said score line in order to enable said carton to be folded into the form of a flat sleeve, and to prevent said panel from folding outwardly at said score line when said carton is completely erected.

9. An integral blank according to claim 8 for forming a carton having a trapezoidal cross section cut and scored to provide a major face panel, side panels hingedlyconnected to the edges of said major face panel, end flaps including trapezoidal end panels hingedly connected to said major face panel, and a pair of panel members adapted to be affixed together to form a minor face panel of smaller width than that of said major face panel, said panel members including a first panel member having an adhesive strip hingedly connected thereto at a score line and adapted to be folded over With the inner surface of said adhesive strip being in engagement with the innr surface of said panel member, and the outer surface of said adhesive strip being adapted to be adhesively affixed to the outer surface of the second of said panel membefs, the structure being so arranged when said adhesive strip is aflixed to said second panel member as to permit said minor face panel to fold inwardly at said score line and said blank to be folded into the form of a flat sleeve, and whereby said minorface panel is prevented from folding outwardly at said score line when said carton is completely erected.

10. A carton according to claim 9 wherein the sum of the widths of said second panel member and the side panel hingedly connected thereto is no greater than the width of said major face panel, and wherein the sum of the widths of said first panel member and said adhesive strip is no greater than the width of the side panel hingedly connected to said first panel member.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 29,644 11/1898 Davidson 22922 917,347 4/ 1909 Neuman 229---22 1,875,044 8/ 1-932 Leiper 22922 3,145,898 8/1964 Struble 2298 3,185,378 5/1965 Rosenberg 22922 3,253,769 5/ 1966 Opler 22938 3,259,298 7/1966 Gorton 22937 XR DAVIS T. MOORHEAD, Primary Examiner. 

1. A CARTON HAVING A NON-RECTANGULAR CROSS SECTION FORMED OF AN INTEGRAL BLANK CUT AND SCORED TO PROVIDE WALL PANELS AND END PANELS FORMING AN ENCLOSURE, ONE OF SAID WALL PANELS COMPRISING FIRST AND SECOND WALL PANEL MEMBERS, SAID FIRST WALL PANEL MEMBER HAVING AN ADHESIVE STRIP HINGEDLY CONNECTED THERETO A SCORE LINE AND BEING FOLDED OVER WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID ADHESIVE STRIP BEING IN ENGAGEMENT WITH THE INNER SURFACE OF SAID FIRST WALL PANEL MEMBER, AND THE OTHER SURFACE OF SAID ADHESIVE STRIP BEING ADHESIVELY AFFIXED TO THE OUTER SURFACE OF THE SECOND WALL PANEL MEMBER, THE STRUCTURE BEING SUCH THAT SAID WALL PANEL IS PREVENTED FROM FOLDING OUTWARDLY AT SAID SCORE LINE. 